A Sorta Fairytale
by carroussella
Summary: AU novel where Choi Siwon is not a Super Junior member, but the scion of a wealthy Korean businessman. He meets Park Soo-Kyung, a social worker at Seoul National University Hospital & they fall in love. But will their fairytale have a happily ever after?
1. Prologue

**_Fandom: Super Junior  
>Pairing: Choi Siwon  OC  
>Rating: PG-13  K+  
>NOVEL LENGTH<br>_**

**_author's note:_** _This plot bunny has been in my head for years. Literally. I can't imagine a time when I wasn't imagining scenes out of this story. But the characters always changed – sometimes they were based on people I knew in real life, sometimes they just entered my head from out of nowhere. I finally decided to give the plot bunny free reign, and the characters started taking solid shape in the form of Choi Siwon and Co._

_As this story revolves around a medical social worker who works in a hospital, there are numerous references to illnesses, diseases and other medical terminology. I'm not a doctor nor a medical student; all my knowledge was gleaned from seven seasons of Grey's Anatomy and Wikipedia. I tried my best to keep everything as factual as possible, so please forgive me if I get certain things wrong, and please suspend reality if you know some of the "medical conditions" I mention to be a bunch of hogwash. This is fiction, after all._

_I've also taken liberties with the role of the medical social worker – an acquaintance of mine is one, but we never talk in depth about the exact extent of her responsibilities so this is mostly guesswork on my part._

_This piece of work was not beta'd, so any and all typos, grammatical errors and mistakes are mine. If you're as much a grammar Nazi as I am, please feel free to point them out. I am usually appalled at how my brain works faster (and more accurately) than my hands._

_As this is an alternate universe, I've taken the liberty to omit several SJ members from the story – Kangin, Kibum, Hangeng, Zhoumi and Henry. I have NOTHING against them. I just don't feel like I know them well enough to have a voice for them; it's confusing enough to have to create nine different friends/family members for Siwon and I didn't want to have to incorporate these five as well. Again, I have NOTHING against them. It has nothing to do with my fandom stance, just a pure writing decision. I just felt I had to mention it in case someone decides to hang me for it._

_Title is taken from a Tori Amos song of the same name (and no copyright infringement is intended); she's one of my favoritest singers of all time, and her lyrics never fail to inspire me. It will be interesting to see how this series turns out in the end… I have a rough idea of how the story will end, but until I actually get there, things can change_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Pro<strong>__**logue**_

Choi Siwon walked briskly down the hallway, pausing briefly only to glance at the directional board above him. He determined his path in an instant, then his long legs took him down the left corridor.

Spotting his cousin outside one of the rooms, he called out a greeting. "Hyung, how is he?"

Park Jung-su turned at the sound of Siwon's voice, soft as it was in deference to where they were. "It doesn't look good," he replied, equally somber. "The doctors say a bypass may be the only thing they can do."

"A bypass?" Siwon frowned. "But his medical condition…" he trailed off as a man emerged from the room, dressed in blue scrubs.

Removing his surgical mask, the man nodded at Jung-su and Siwon. "Shim Kang Dae," he introduced, as he bowed to both of them. "I'm the cardio-thoracic surgeon in charge of your father's case," he told Jung-su.

"How is my father?" Jung-su asked, worry showing on his face.

"To be honest, things don't look too good for him. We're prepping him for surgery now. He needs a bypass to reduce the arterial blockage," Dr. Shim replied. "I understand he has other medical conditions?"

"Yes," Jung-su responded, and then proceeded to list the various ailments his father suffered from, and the medications he was currently taking.

Siwon took the opportunity to glance into the room, where nurses were working quickly to prepare his uncle for surgery. He watched as one of them took a look at the blood pressure monitor and made a quick note in her file.

His attention returned to the other two men in front of him just as there was a movement at the start of the corridor.

Immediately, he recognized his aunt – Jung-su's mother – who was being supported on one side by his own mother, her sister. A young lady had grasped his aunt's other arm, and it was this newcomer whom Siwon fixed his attention on.

Dressed in a light gray business suit, she had a file tucked underneath her right arm. There was a slight black bulge at her hip, and as the women came nearer, he realized that it was a phone holster. An official-looking dark blue lanyard hung around her neck, proclaiming that she was a member of the hospital staff.

As he watched, the young lady and his mother guided his aunt to a seat, and while his mother remained by her sister's side, patting her hand and offering words of comfort, the young lady walked towards him.

"Kang Dae," she called softly, offering a small smile for the doctor. "Anything new for me?"

She glanced at Siwon, and in that moment he felt a little lurch in his chest. She was unusually tall for a female; Siwon guessed that she was no more than half a head shorter than him. Her dark brown hair was swept back into a bun, although some tendrils had fallen loose and now framed her face.

But it was her eyes that caught him. The dark gray orbs met his, the brows above them arching in a silent question, and he felt strangely fixated. Something in those eyes beckoned to him, as if yearning to share some dark secret.

He was forced to break his stare as someone – probably Jung-su – cleared his throat. Siwon heard the doctor replying to the lady, although their words glazed over him and he had no idea what they were saying.

"Thanks K," she said, and the doctor turned away from them to return to his patient.

"Mr. Park," she now addressed Jung-su with a slight bow, "My name is Park Soo-Kyung. I'm a medical social worker."

Jung-su returned her greeting, and then turned to Siwon. "This is my cousin, Choi Siwon."

"Nice to meet you," Soo-Kyung extended another bow in his direction.

"Social worker?" Siwon blurted. "Why do we need a social worker?"

Jung-su shot him a look before turning back to Soo-Kyung. "I think we're okay, Soo-Kyung-sshi. We don't need any financial help with the hospital bills or anything. Just give my father the best treatment and care."

Soo-Kyung smiled. "I think you misunderstand, Mr. Park. My job is not just about financial aid. It extends to other things as well."

Siwon arched a brow at her response. "Such as?"

"Such as offering emotional support for families of patients, and referring them for counseling if necessary," Soo-Kyung replied smoothly, as if she had said the same thing a hundred times before.

"I think we're okay for the moment," Jung-su told her. "The rest of the family and our friends will be coming over."

Soo-Kyung smiled again, and this time Siwon noticed how a distinctive sparkle reached her eyes as her lips curled. "No problem, Mr. Park." She handed Jung-su a business card, saying, "If you ever need anything, please feel free to contact me."

With another bow to Jung-su and Siwon, she was gone.


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter**__**One**_

Park Soo-Kyung picked at the pins holding her hair in a bun, and gave a soft sigh as her locks tumbled down. _That feels so much better!_

She massaged her temples as she stared at the pile of paperwork in front of her. _How can one person have so many reports to write? _

That was the one thing she hated most about her job – the paperwork. She loved being a medical social worker; she had always wanted to help others and putting a smile on their faces was the best reward she could receive. This job was perfect for her. It gave her the opportunity to work with people and she derived great satisfaction from just being a listening ear to her patients.

But this – her gaze swept over the numerous files on her desk again – this, she would gladly give up. She hated that most of her precious time was either spent on writing letters to other government agencies, requesting for financial aid and other help for the patients or filling out yet another report on the patient's physical and psychological condition for official records.

_I could be doing something so much more productive_, she sighed. Like talking to the wife of the patient in Ward 12, who had been a nervous wreck when her husband had been brought into the emergency department following a horrific car accident, but was now a talkative woman who loved to regale the staff with anecdotes of her love story.

Nevertheless, she hankered down to the task ahead of her, presuming that the faster she got them done, the earlier she could get out of the office.

She picked up the first file, a brown folder labeled simply "Park Chang Euk". _Who was this?_ She wrecked her brain, trying to place a face to the name. It usually wasn't too difficult; she knew most of the patients she'd been assigned to very well.

_Ah._ A mental image of the patient in question surfaced, and she remembered meeting with him for the first time after his bypass surgery. Park Chang Euk had been weak, but his mind had been clear. She remembered his son, Jung-su, whom she often conversed with, and his wife, who spoke to her only when it was necessary.

Park Chang Euk was a special patient. She'd found out from her colleagues that he was actually a very prominent businessman who headed one of the major conglomerates in Korea.

_Chaebol family,_ went the whispers. With it came the added stress upon his medical team, Soo-Kyung included, because it meant that the hospital's board of directors was constantly checking on his progress. It didn't help that some of the senior doctors and members of the board were Park family friends. One wrong move from the junior members of his medical team and their jobs would be in jeopardy. VIP patients were a lot more complicated to deal with, usually because their families were more demanding and many times, there were inquisitive reporters to deal with as well. Somehow, every single movement they made was headline-worthy.

_What am I to write in his report?_ Soo-Kyung recalled Jung-su's reaction when she had first introduced herself to him, just before his father had been wheeled into surgery. Jung-su and his cousin – _wait,_ _what was his name? Oh right, Choi Siwon_ – had been surprised when she told them she was a medical social worker, immediately jumping to the conclusion that she was there because she thought they needed financial help for the medical bills.

_Need financial help, my ass_, she scoffed to herself. The family could afford to finance a hundred hospitals and it probably wouldn't even put a dent in their bank account.

Since that first meeting, she had made it a point to speak to Jung-su privately, and after some prompting, he had voiced his concerns over his mother's reaction to his father's heart attack. The older lady obviously did not take it well, but she had rallied with the support of family and friends. Soo-Kyung tried to reach out to her, but never got a good opportunity – Mrs. Park was almost always accompanied by family or friends who occupied her attention and Soo-Kyung had never managed to say more than two sentences to her.

Soo-Kyung frowned to herself as her thoughts went back to Jung-su's cousin, Siwon. He had been wearing a black suit that day, the first two buttons of his shirt undone and his hair a little messy, as if he had been running his hand through it in frustration or anxiety.

He had stared at her intently as she spoke to Kang Dae, sending slight shivers down her spine. She wasn't sure why, but she knew the resultant goose bumps she felt on her arms were not just a result of Siwon's handsome features. His gaze seemed to bear a path right into her soul, and when she met his eyes, she felt like he was unearthing her deepest and darkest secrets.

_Why the hell am I even thinking about him? _She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of the direction her thoughts had taken.

He was extremely good-looking, she admitted to herself. And he had looked very sexy in that suit, which had clung to him like a second skin. _Wait, what?_ Did she just use sexy to describe a patient's family member?

_Not very professional_, a small voice in her mind announced.

She wasn't supposed to have thoughts like these. _But you are_, came the evil voice again. Part of her professional ethics entailed always behaving appropriately towards her patients and their families. Which meant that the sort of thoughts currently through her mind was not acceptable. Not according to her Social Worker Ethics handbook, anyway. Anything more than professional courtesy and empathy was strictly frowned upon.

Soo-Kyung shook her head again, hoping to wash out her thoughts. _Focus_, she berated herself. Taking a deep breath, she settled down to read her case notes on Park Chang Euk, determined to place all thoughts of his nephew out of her mind.

* * *

><p>Tucking one hand into his pocket, Siwon watched the numbers on the elevator climb slowly. He was back at the hospital again to visit his uncle. He had been worried; Chang Euk was his favorite uncle and they were close. He knew Chang Euk had health problems; when one worked as hard as his uncle did and neglected a lot of things like health in the progress, it was not a big surprise. But it had shocked him to see his uncle hovering on the brink of death after his heart attack. In that moment, he realized that his uncle could be snatched from him anytime, and it had scared him.<p>

The elevator made a _ding_ sound, and came to a halt. The doors opened, and his hand automatically went to the "Door Open" button. A female entered, her head bowed as she looked through the files in her hand. Almost as an afterthought, she suddenly jerked her head up and muttered a _thank you. _

Siwon jolted out of his reverie just as her eyes widened in surprise. Those familiar gray orbs flickered in recognition, and Soo-Kyung hastily bowed in greeting. "Mr. Choi."

Siwon didn't know whether to feel smug or elated that she obviously remembered him. Today, she had swopped her business suit for a cream-colored blouse and black pants. Two tiny diamond studs adorned her ears, and apart from her watch, she wore no other jewelry. _No ring on her hand_, he realized, and then started. _Why was he thinking about that?_

He snapped out of his quiet assessment of her to give her a quick bow in return. "Ms. Park. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you," came the polite reply. "And yourself?"

"Doing well, thank you."

Realizing they had nothing else to say to each other, both abruptly turned their attention to the numbers on the elevator screen, as if the increasing digits were suddenly the most important thing in the world. The small space was quiet, except for the quiet hum in the background as the elevator continued its upward journey, and the light breathing of its occupants.

"Are you…" Siwon began, only to be cut off by something ringing.

He hadn't realized it was her phone, until she whipped the device – a Blackberry – free of the holster at her hip in one swift motion and placed it at her ear.

"Yes," was her monotonous greeting. She sounded bored, and Siwon thought he detected a hint of frustration in her voice.

Siwon raised his eyebrows. He hadn't seen her look at the caller ID, and that certainly was not a typical acknowledgement one gave a caller.

Her conversation continued, and Siwon unabashedly eavesdropped, trying to determine who was on the line. It was not an easy task, since he couldn't hear the caller, and all Soo-Kyung seemed to be uttering were single syllables.

"No," she said. She paused to listen, then "No" again. The caller said something, and she snapped "No!" in a harsher tone before hanging up.

Her face was cloaked in irritation, but when she noticed him looking at her, she quickly smoothed her features into a neutral mien, and gave him a small grin. "I'm sorry, you were saying?"

Siwon opened his mouth to reply, and was again cut off by her ringing phone. This time, the ringtone was different, and she seemed a little flustered as she answered.

"Seung-heon?"

* * *

><p>"Mr. Choi."<p>

Soo-Kyung heard her voice, but she didn't remember opening her mouth to speak. She felt her body straighten, as if out of a bow. _Did I bow to him?_ She couldn't remember.

She had been waiting for the elevator, looking over her report on Park Chang Euk before she submitted it, and her thoughts had once again drifted to the patient's nephew. She wondered if he would come back to visit his uncle; they seemed to be a close knit family, from the way Siwon interacted with Jung-su, and from the obvious concern on his face when he saw his uncle being prepped for surgery.

Siwon was once again staring at her intently, and she felt goosebumps prickle as she met his gaze. She noticed his eyes travel downward, over the length of her body. _Whoa… is he checking me out?_

When his eyes returned to her face, there was nothing in his countenance to indicate if he found what he saw to his liking, but Soo-Kyung could have sworn she witnessed a flash of surprise in his eyes. _What is he surprised about?_

Mentally, she ran over her clothes. Cream-colored blouse with black lace trimmings on the edge, which was a respite from her daily suits, yet formal enough to ensure she still looked professional to meet her patients. And then there were her smartly pressed black pants, paired with her trusty black kitten heels. Nothing out of the ordinary there; her clothes might be slightly boring, fashion-wise, but when you spent hours traipsing across the hospital, comfort trumped style.

Just as she finished with her internal assessment of her attire, the man in front of her bent gracefully, and his voice – oh, that smooth voice with its gravel undertones – reached her ears. "Ms. Park. How are you?"

Her "Fine, thank you" came automatically, and without a second thought she inquired, "And yourself?"

Again, she startled herself with the words coming out of her mouth. Her voice seemed unnatural to her, a little bit strained to her ears. What was it about this man that made her feel so uneasy?

"Doing well, thank you" was his polite answer, and she felt a little disappointed. _What were you hoping he would say to you?_

Belatedly, she realized she was staring again, and hurriedly turned her gaze away, hoping for something neutral and a little less intense to focus her attention on. _There – the elevator screen!_ In contrast to his dark gaze, the flashing green digits were a welcome sight. She could feel the tension roll off both of them, though she didn't exactly understand how that came about. They barely knew each other.

She concentrated on the numbers, hoping to ease some of the awkwardness she felt just by looking at him. Soo-Kyung silently debated if she should say something to him – he was, after all, a patient's family member and she was said patient's social worker. She was mentally going over appropriate topics in her head when he suddenly asked "Are you..." only to halt after the first two words.

It was then she became aware that her phone was ringing. As her mind cleared, she recognized the ringtone; one she'd specifically set for this particular caller.

Letting out an inward sigh, she unholstered the Blackberry and intoned, "Yes." She tried to keep the irritation out of her voice.

"Ms. Park, this is Hong Joon-seo. We need to meet; I have papers for you to sign."

Soo-Kyung fought against the urge to hurl her phone against the elevator door. "No."

"You can't put this off forever, Ms. Park," came that annoying voice again. "You know you'll have to sign the papers, sooner or later."

"No," she bit out, wondering how many times she needed to utter that word before the man would understand.

Hong Joon-seo was speaking again, but she tuned him out. This was possibly the fifth or sixth time he'd called her that week, asking her to sign those papers. _Your duty_, she remembered his first argument. _You can't turn your back on it._

_I can and I have,_ she had retorted, before promptly hanging up on him. He had not relented, and during each subsequent phone call, Hong Joon-seo had become more intent on persuading her to do as he asked.

He was in yet another of his monologues, extolling the benefits of her signing those damned papers, and Soo-Kyung decided she finally had enough of the man. "No," she snapped again, in a more caustic tone than she intended, and then hung up.

Choi Siwon was still looking intently at her – no, this time he was openly staring, no doubt wondering at her rude tone. She hastily offered a sheepish grin, recalling that he had begun to say something before her phone had rung. "I'm sorry, you were saying?"

He was just about to answer her – and she was eagerly anticipating the question – when the device in her hand started vibrating yet again. Hearing the familiar tone of the emergency call, she answered, already dreading what she would hear. "Seung-heon?"

"Kyung," Seung-heon sounded like he was running as he spoke. "Code red in one-oh-two!"

_Shit. _

Soo-Kyung fumbled for her staff card as she heard his message.

"I need you to…" Seung-heon continued, but she cut him off, already knowing what he was going to say. "I'll be there in two."

Staff card in her hand, Soo-Kyung placed it near the reader beneath the lift panel, and typed in a quick code. The elevator moved a little faster and then came to a sudden stop. When the doors opened, her staff card was already back in its lanyard holder around her neck, and she took a deep breath as she stepped out.

She forgot all about the man in the elevator with her.

* * *

><p><em>What the hell was that? <em>

Siwon stared after Soo-Kyung in bewilderment as the elevator doors closed. One moment she had been smiling up at him, waiting for him to finish his question, and the next minute she was functioning like a robot, keying in secret codes into the elevator panel and then getting out without so much as a backward glance at him.

_And who the hell was Seung-heon? _

Soo-Kyung had seemed to know what the second call was about even before she picked it up. As she lifted her phone to her ear, her other hand had already began to fumble at her lanyard. Siwon remembered she kept her staff card there, and wondered why she was reaching for it.

"I'll be there in two," she had told the mysterious Seung-heon, and the card reader on the elevator panel had beeped.

The words _emergency _flashed on the screen above his head, and Siwon felt the elevator jerk before moving again. Only this time, instead of going up, as it originally had been, it was going down. He barely registered which floor they'd stopped at, only noticing that Soo-Kyung seemed straighten a bit before she stepped out.

It was only after the doors closed behind her and the elevator resumed its upward climb that he realized that she had not bade him farewell.

He spent the rest of the elevator ride wondering why her little oversight bothered him so much.


	3. Chapter 2

_**Chapter**__**Two**_

Soo-Kyung felt the weight of the world on her shoulders. It had only been two hours since she responded to Seung-heon's emergency page, but she felt like decades had past.

She had spent most of those two hours sitting beside Ahn Moon Hee, the mother of five-year-old Jae Woon, whose life Seung-heon was desperately trying to save.

The little boy had been battling leukemia for over two years, and his latest admission to the hospital came as his condition took a turn for the worse. The cancer had spread to his lungs, causing him difficulty in breathing, and he had various tubes placed in his body to help him breathe.

Jae Woon had been her first patient, and her heart had broken when she learned of his condition. Ironically, it had been Jae Woon who offered her support; he never failed to cheer her up with his optimistic outlook, and how carefree he seemed despite his illness. She had learnt a lot about the resilience of the human spirit – especially that of children – from Jae Woon.

She allowed a small sigh to escape her lips as she reached for the elevator button. Seung-heon, Jae Won's pediatrician, had determined that the boy needed emergency surgery to relieve the blockage in his lungs which were hindering his airway.

Upon hearing that, she had excused herself from Moon Hee to return to her office. Moon Hee was a single mother who could ill-afford the medical bills that her son incurred, and most of Soo-Kyung's job over the past two years had been to ensure that the pair received as much financial aid as they could. Knowing this was another one of those cases where the bill would balloon exponentially because it involved a major surgery, she had immediately gone to her office to start on her latest report, and then faxed it over to the relevant authorities. Hopefully she would receive a positive response fast; she wanted Moon Hee to have nothing to worry about financially. She already had enough to worry about.

Tapping her foot, Soo-Kyung reached for her phone and dialed a familiar number. "Hey, it's me," she said once the caller picked up. "I need you to do the usual transfer for me."

"Same amount?" the person on the other line asked.

"Yes, I think so," Soo-Kyung thought for a bit. "I'll let you know if it has changed."

"Alright," came the reply. "And I'll text you once it's done."

"Thanks." Soo-Kyung hung up, and then rested her forehead on the cool surface in front of her.

Seung-heon had had to resuscitate Jae Woon twice when his heart stopped as Seung-heon and team had tried to ease the pressure in the boy's lungs. The prognosis did not look good for her favorite patient, and she blinked away the tears that had already begun to form.

A quick glance up indicated that the elevator was arriving. She took a deep breath to steel her nerves. She was a social worker; the only emotion she could show her patients was empathy. Crying was definitely not permitted. Crying because she felt truly helpless at her patient's situation was definitely out of the question. It could get her fired for being unprofessional.

Over the two years since she first started this job, Soo-Kyung had learnt to manage her tears. She learnt to hold all emotions in, and release them only when no one was looking, usually in the privacy of her office or at home. To her patients and her colleagues, she was ever the cheerful social worker, intent on brightening everyone's day. Inside, she was a different story. Inside, she was angry at the circumstances befalling some of her patients and sad at their helplessness.

Soo-Kyung took another deep breath. Deep breathing usually helped. She blinked a few times, trying to get rid of the moisture in her eyes. Just as she felt ready to face the world again, a _ding_ heralded the arrival of the elevator.

* * *

><p>Once again ensconced within the small confines of the elevator, Siwon let out the breath he had been holding. The visit with his uncle had gone well. The older man had been feeble and weak, still recuperating from the heart bypass surgery he just had a few days ago. Other than that, his mind had been sharp, his determination to recover strong. More than once during his visit, his uncle had voiced his desire to get out of the hospital and return home.<p>

Siwon had merely chuckled, and patted his uncle's hand. "Soon," he had promised the older man, and then had immediately launched into a report of the family's activities in his uncle's absence.

He felt the tension leave his shoulders. His visit had assured him that his uncle Chang Euk was well on the road to recovery. Siwon was glad for that. It had been a nerve-wrecking touch-and-go period when Chang Euk first had the heart attack, but now the danger was over and although the recuperation journey would be long and tedious, they were sure of the end goal.

A wave of gratitude rolled over him. Chang Euk was closer to him than his own father was. He'd often wondered why that was so, and as he grew older he realized that it was probably due to the different marriages they had. His own parents had always been distant – from him and from each other. Jung-su's parents, on the other hand, were the exact opposite. Chang Euk, though the louder and more boisterous of the couple, had a deep affection for his wife.

There had been a certain warmth in the Park household that he always escaped to whenever his parents fought or worse, had a cold war. As the only child, Siwon had no other close playmate except Jung-su and his sister In-Young. He had always been welcomed by the Parks, who seemed to understand his need to escape the confines of his own home. He found a real family with his cousins.

It was the reason why he'd been the first person Jung-su called the moment Chang Euk had a heart attack, and it was also the reason why Siwon had dropped everything and walked out of an important meeting to rush to the hospital. His own father hadn't even cared.

Two days ago, he had come dangerously close to losing one of the few people he cared deeply about, and it unnerved him greatly.

_And now_… Siwon lost his trail of thought as the elevator jolted to a halt and the doors open. He felt a sense of déjà vu as the increasingly familiar female figure stepped in.

This time though, Siwon fired the opening salvo. "Ms. Park."

Her head snapped up in response to his voice, and her gray eyes widened. "Mr.… Mr. Choi," she stammered, offering a bow.

Siwon frowned inwardly. Soo-Kyung seemed… different. Something wasn't right with her. When they met earlier that afternoon in the elevator, she had exuded a quiet air of confidence, as she had the first time they met. Now, she was like a frightened rabbit ready to bolt at the slightest noise.

He peered closer at her face, and noticed how glassy her eyes looked. _Had she been crying?_ Her voice was calm, even-toned despite her stammer. He thought it was due to the surprise of seeing him, but now he was not so sure. _Had someone upset her?_

Siwon felt the overwhelming urge to gather her in his arms, and give her a reassuring pat on the back. The notion left him feeling fairly stunned. Why on earth did he feel so protective over this woman whom he barely knew?

Soo-Kyung gave him a small smile, but he noticed that it didn't quite reach her eyes. Her eyes didn't sparkle, and they looked downcast. He heard her inhale sharply and gave her a questioning look, but Soo-Kyung had already turned her attention back to the elevator doors. It was obvious to Siwon she was not in the mood for conversation, but he didn't understand why he felt so compelled to say something – or do something – to make her feel better.

As before, he opened his mouth at the same time he heard a sound. This time, it wasn't her ringing phone. The elevator had come to a stop again, and this time a man wearing scrubs stepped in. It was clear from his attire that he was a doctor, probably even a surgeon. Like Soo-Kyung, he looked battle weary. Unlike Soo-Kyung, his mien was infused with a determination.

The newcomer gave Siwon a quick glance, and then spoke. Not to him, but to the woman standing next to him. "Are you okay, Kyung?"

Siwon inwardly flinched at his words. Four short words, but they were infused with such intimacy that Siwon shifted uncomfortably. This was not a colleague addressing another; it was more than that.

Siwon glanced at Soo-Kyung, waiting for her answer. She didn't seem to register – or even react to – the familiarity. "I'll be okay," she said. Her voice had returned to its level tones and she seemed surer of herself now than when she first entered the elevator.

The other man gave Soo-Kyung a worried look, then shrugged his shoulders, accepting her answer. _Pabo_, Siwon thought. Soo-Kyung was obviously anything but okay. Anyone looking at her could tell. Her shoulders had drooped a little, and exhaustion was written all over her face. If he looked closely, Siwon was sure he would find dried tear tracks on her cheeks.

No one spoke as the elevator continued its descent. Siwon tried to think of a way to initiate conversation, but the presence of the other man stopped any words from actually leaving his mouth.

Finally, Soo-Kyung's voice broke the silence. "Seung-heon," she murmured. Siwon and Seung-heon both looked at her – Siwon in astonishment, inferring correctly that this was the Seung-heon of the earlier emergency phone call, and Seung-heon in expectation.

"Promise me something," she looked at Seung-heon, her eyes silently pleading.

Seung-heon said nothing, but waited for her to continue.

"Promise me you'll do your best?"

Seung-heon nodded, a solemn gesture. Siwon was lost. _What exactly was going on here?_

* * *

><p>Taking a deep breath, Soo-Kyung willed herself to relax. She could still feel the eyes of the elevator's other occupant on her, and it did nothing to soothe her frazzled nerves. Already feeling distracted over Jae Woon's condition and his upcoming surgery, Choi Siwon's presence was merely adding to her unease.<p>

Why this man – this particular man – could make her feel so uncomfortable, she had no idea.

She had been stunned when he called her name as she entered the elevator, an exact mirror of what had happened in the afternoon. She tripped over her greeting, and a slight blush had covered her cheeks as she bowed.

Siwon had looked at her quizzically after that, and his scrutiny unnerved her greatly. Soo-Kyung thought she caught a hint of concern in his eyes, but it was gone so fast that she thought she imagined it. Her gaze fell on his hands, and she was suddenly overcome by a desire to have his arms wrap around her. At that moment, Soo-Kyung was positive that the world would melt away, and everything would go away, if he would only hold her in an embrace.

Soo-Kyung gave him a smile, hoping it would cover up some of the embarrassment she was feeling over thinking such nonsensical thoughts about him. He was a patient's family, end of story. _There would never be anything going on between us_, she scolded herself. _Besides, chaebol heirs didn't date medical social workers._

She turned away, hoping to put some distance between them. The intensity she saw in Siwon's gaze, and the strange tension that filled the air every time they met made her feel like running away. There was no explanation for that. Yet she felt with equal compulsion that being in his presence would be the only place where she could truly be safe.

The elevator doors suddenly opened and Soo-Kyung found herself face-to-face with Seung-heon. He looked like he had aged since she last saw him twenty minutes ago, but she also recognized the preoccupied look on his face.

She worked very closely with Seung-heon, since a lot of his patients were hers too. Both of them shared a special affinity for Jae Woon as he also had been Seung-heon's first patient after graduating from medical school. They had a genuine affection for the little boy, and over the past two years, had bonded over numerous cups of coffee as they discussed Jae Woon's condition and the aid he would require. Like her, Seung-heon was determined to ensure that Jae Woon received the best care he needed.

She felt Seung-heon look at her in concern, and when he asked if she was okay, Soo-Kyung thought about the irony of his words. _How can any of us be okay at this moment?_

It was more etiquette than anything, since she was positive Seung-heon knew, or at least suspected, that she had escaped to her office to cry, under the guise of writing Jae Woon's latest report. He had called her out on that once before, but had understood why she did so. He had covered for her on several occasions after that when her emotions got the better of her, allowing her the use of his office, or just offering a piece of tissue to dry her tears when she was done.

Soo-Kyung caught sight of the elevator screen and realized they were almost at their destination. "Seung-heon," she called softly.

As the man in question turned to her, she wondered what she should say to him. _What do you tell a surgeon who is about to operate on a small child with a fifty percent chance of survival? _A word of comfort would not be enough; the success of the surgery rested solely on Seung-heon, and she was sure the pressure was immense.

In the end, she settled for a question. "Promise me something?"

Seung-heon looked at her, seeming to know what she was going to ask next. His expression had softened although he said nothing, and Soo-Kyung noticed how handsome his features actually were when his face was not scrunched up in concentration. She felt like bursting into tears at the understanding in his eyes; Seung-heon knew exactly what she was feeling at the moment because he felt the same things too.

For him, the fear of the unknown – whether Jae Woon would make it through this round – was overshadowed by the adrenaline rush of going into surgery, being able to actually influence the outcome; but for Soo-Kyung, that same fear paralyzed her because there was nothing she could do.

"Promise me you'll try your best?" Soo-Kyung hated how her voice sounded, like that of a little child whining over something inconsequential. She couldn't help it; she felt like a little child, helpless and vulnerable to the circumstances.

She saw Seung-heon give an imperceptible nod in reply, then he stepped out as the doors opened, leaving her and Siwon staring at his back.

_Good luck, Seung-heon._


End file.
